Submicron microdevice patterning with plasma-thinned nail-polish microfiber shadow masks
- 1Key Laboratory of Wide Band-Gap Semiconductor Technology & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of High-Orbits-Electron Materials and Protection Technology for Aerospace, School of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Xidian University Xi'an 710071 China
- 22D Foundry Research Group, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas 28049 Madrid Spain
Abstract
Access to sub-micrometer electrode patterning remains limited in laboratories without lithographic or specialized mask-fabrication facilities. We present a novel, low-cost method for fabricating microdevices using nail-polish microfibers as shadow masks. A thin fiber is drawn by repeatedly touching a nail-polish droplet with a wire loop and placed directly onto the target substrate to define narrow features for metal deposition. As-drawn fibers reach diameters down to ∼2 µm and conform to both rigid and flexible surfaces. Oxygen-plasma thinning at ∼22 nm min−1 reduces fibers initially ≥4 µm in diameter to below 1 µm, enabling electrode gaps down to ∼478 nm, as confirmed by atomic force microscopy. The process requires no spin-coated photoresist, baking, or development. Using this approach, we pattern microelectrodes on SiO2/Si and polycarbonate and realize functional devices, including MoS2 field-effect transistors, MoS2 photodetectors, and a flexible device based on chemical vapor deposition-grown MoS2. The method requires no photolithography, minimizes material cost, and leverages readily available tools and consumables, providing a practical route to prototyping and education as well as laboratory microfabrication.
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BibTeX
@article{xie2026submicron,
title = {{Submicron microdevice patterning with plasma-thinned nail-polish microfiber shadow masks}},
author = {Yong Xie and Qianjie Lei and Nuria Jiménez-Arévalo and Esteban Zamora-Amo and Thomas Pucher and Andres Castellanos-Gomez},
journal = {Nanoscale Advances},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1039/d6na00537c},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1039/d6na00537c},
note = {CC BY-NC 3.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Submicron microdevice patterning with plasma-thinned nail-polish microfiber shadow masks
AU - Yong Xie
AU - Qianjie Lei
AU - Nuria Jiménez-Arévalo
AU - Esteban Zamora-Amo
AU - Thomas Pucher
AU - Andres Castellanos-Gomez
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/24
JO - Nanoscale Advances
DO - 10.1039/d6na00537c
UR - https://doi.org/10.1039/d6na00537c
AB - Access to sub-micrometer electrode patterning remains limited in laboratories without lithographic or specialized mask-fabrication facilities. We present a novel, low-cost method for fabricating microdevices using nail-polish microfibers as shadow masks. A thin fiber is drawn by repeatedly touching a nail-polish droplet with a wire loop and placed directly onto the target substrate to define narrow features for metal deposition. As-drawn fibers reach diameters down to ∼2 µm and conform to both rigid and flexible surfaces. Oxygen-plasma thinning at ∼22 nm min−1 reduces fibers initially ≥4 µm in diameter to below 1 µm, enabling electrode gaps down to ∼478 nm, as confirmed by atomic force microscopy. The process requires no spin-coated photoresist, baking, or development. Using this approach, we pattern microelectrodes on SiO2/Si and polycarbonate and realize functional devices, including MoS2 field-effect transistors, MoS2 photodetectors, and a flexible device based on chemical vapor deposition-grown MoS2. The method requires no photolithography, minimizes material cost, and leverages readily available tools and consumables, providing a practical route to prototyping and education as well as laboratory microfabrication.
SN - 2516-0230
ER -